Assisted dying

I'm in favour of being able to choose but there must be adequate safeguards in the legislation and high quality palliative care must be made available at the same time so there is a level playing field. Wes Streeting: are you listening?

Smileless2012

I hope the majority vote in favour.

Me too........👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

Very good article in The Times today on this, by AN Wilson. I cant getnlonk to post and anyway you have to subscribe on line to read it. If you can read it online or can buy the paper it is worth a read

MissAdventure

I'm sure a doctor could decline to take part.
I have known palliative care nurses to advise just increasing a person's morphine, and keeping them topped up, as the end approaches.

That makes perfect sense to me.

Well of course they could. Or any other staff. The Law could request the patient to take the potion or activate the fast drip themselves, as in Switzerland.

Farzanah - my friends mother was 93 and in awful pain/disability with osteo porosis. She decided she’d had enough. Her family gathered and spent time with her before her life was brought to an end. She was in control of this final decision on her life
I recognise not everyone has that privilege, the ability to decide but I feel strongly that appropriate safeguards are possible. The risks shouldn’t make it impossible for assisted dying to be available

Very exciting to hear that this will finally happen tomorrow

Private Member’s Bill on Assisted Dying: What You Need to Know

Recently, Kim Leadbeater MP announced that she will be introducing a Private Member’s Bill on assisted dying in the House of Commons. This is an important moment for people across the UK, particularly those suffering from incurable conditions, as it opens up the possibility of a new law allowing people more choice and control over how they end their lives.

I'm sure a doctor could decline to take part.
I have known palliative care nurses to advise just increasing a person's morphine, and keeping them topped up, as the end approaches.

That makes perfect sense to me.

Who would perform the act of assisting to die? Would a doctor have the choice of refusing to take part?
I once witnessed a hospital patient with 70 percent burns on a burns ward. It was a known fact that she would shortly die. One would not leave a dog to die like that !..but who would perform the euthanasia ?

Are any of them disabled Iam64?

I do not have any disability or suffer from a chronic illness (yet) but I think the fears of those who do, and are concerned about Assisted Dying are legitimate and should be listened to.

Have you seen Liz Carr’s documentary “Better Off Dead”?

There’s a lot of suspicion and fear about coercion. My experience of friends who live in countries where assisted dying is legal are thankful not anxious or suspicious. I don’t believe that it’s always right to extend life if there is no quality/no ability to do anything for themselves.

Esmay

If people want to use the new proposed facility - that is entirely their choice and I understand .

For me , as a Christian it goes against my faith .
I prefer to go when the good Lord takes me .

And that is absolutely fine. This Bill would be about giving people a choice, and a choice no-one would be coerced or forced to take.

I never said Assisted Dying is legal in Scotland. But there was a lot of discussion after the film about someone from Scotland going to Dignitas to die, with friends- and the fact that friends or family assisting or accompanying someone who is very clear about their wishes, would not be at risk of prosecution. Unlike in other parts of GB.

Assisted dying in Scotland is not legal. The courts say they would be unlikely to prosecute either someone assisting someone who voluntarily wanted to die, or assisted someone to go to Switzerland. This of course could be challenged by others, general public (trial by social media comes to mind) if others thought coercion was involved.
The bill that was going to go to the Scottish Parliament to clarify this grey area has been shelved as it supposedly comes under gov.uk jurisdiction not scot.gov.

If people want to use the new proposed facility - that is entirely their choice and I understand .

For me , as a Christian it goes against my faith .
I prefer to go when the good Lord takes me .

Fleurpepper thanks for your contributions. A close friend recently returned to Holland so she could be present with family as her 95 year old mother left this life. Her mother had gradually reached the point where osteo porosis, old age, frailty and persistent pain meant she was ready to leave after a good life.

Still is, but not in Scotland where assisting and accompanying is legal.

That's one of the problems; having to go earlier than you'd like, because someone "assisting" you could be charged with a crime, isn't it?

It used to be the case, but I'm not up with how things are now.

Forgot to say that, in fact, many people with terminal disease, who do have the ultimate choice, choose to live much longer, safe and relieved that the choice is theirs, if they come to the stage when they just can't bear the pain and loss of dignity.

In the UK, anyone wanting that choice, and who have the money and support, do have to go early, fearing that should their condition worsen, they will not be able to travel.

My mother was a Founder member- but she died naturally, aged 94. She always knew however, that the choice was hers.

MissAdventure

There is currently a court case regarding the use of a pod for assisted suicide, I think.

Yes, used illegally and against Swiss Laws, and quite rightly being legally challenged. Good.

Fleurpepper Exactly as it should be. 💐

There is currently a court case regarding the use of a pod for assisted suicide, I think.

keepingquiet

I'm sorry but 'booking' your own death sounds like the stuff of nightmares to me.

Au contraire- massively so. I am a fighter, and a very positive person- but I am very grateful that, fully healthy and fit- I was allowed to join an organisation that would give me the choice, ultimately. So many people, fighting against cancer and other diseases, and hoping they will be able to get the best treatment and get better- have said the same. That if one day they realise the battle is lost, and it is just a question of time- they will have the choice to opt out at a point of their choosing.

So grateful too that I live in a country with a great health service, and excellent palliative care- which is no guarantee that end of life will not be extremely painful and /or with extreme and increasing loss of dignity. For about £40 a year, my membership of Exit (Switzerland)- will give me that choice, in my own home, even my garden, with family if they choose to be with me. And with every safeguard possible - I would be interviewed on my own, and asked very carefully framed questions, to ensure that a) I am totally sure this is what I want, that no-one is influencing me, and that there is no way back. And again on the chosen day, on my own - to ensure the above, again. All is filmed. Once the potion has been taken or the drip opened- by myself (no-one else can or will administer) - and death has occured and been confirmed- the film would be given to the Police for the Coroner to examine.

Knowing that that choice would, will, be open to me, IF and only IF - is actually truly positive. My Doctor OH feels just the same - he has seen so much pain since he qualified in 1969.

This has been the case in Switzerland for over half a century- NO slippery slope at all.

Clearly because it is not part of palliative care at the moment and saying it is could cause distress to some people.

I DIDN'T say it is LEGALLY which is the distinction. I have accepted I assumed it was clear and explained it. I would never knowingly cause distress and I am sorry if that has been the case for anyone.

We have each made our points on this and I will now move on as prolonging this unnecessarily when I have already explained, could also cause distress.

I’m not pushing for anything theworriedwell. I’m joining a discussion on the issue of assisted dying.

Madgran77

Yes I did. I made the mistake of thinking it was clear that I was not referring to legality per se, I was referring to AD being part of palliative care generally as a positive
thing in my view when giving a patient some control and choice about their end of life.

Clearly I was incorrect in my assumption that that was clear!

Clearly because it is not part of palliative care at the moment and saying it is could cause distress to some people.

Yes I did. I made the mistake of thinking it was clear that I was not referring to legality per se, I was referring to AD being part of palliative care generally as a positive
thing in my view when giving a patient some control and choice about their end of life.

Clearly I was incorrect in my assumption that that was clear!